The Sweetest Thing
by Ryeordstar
Summary: It all started with a confiscated bottle of Sake.


A/N: Good evening all! It has been quite sometime since I have posted anything but I have been feeling the urge to create lately. This will be my first attempt at a multi-chapter story but don't expect it to be too long. It may just end up being a two parter. I am kind of just letting the story go with the flow right now. Anyway, I won't bore everyone with an extremely long A/N. Please enjoy and review. I love feedback and I like to know if my readers have any suggestions.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters.

* * *

It all started with a confiscated bottle of Sake.

Shizune had finally located Lady Tsunade's current hiding spot for her beloved vice (tucked away beneath the floorboards under her stacks of unfinished paperwork.) This led to the Hokage's massive temper tantrum that involved a mild earthquake, numerous D-rank assignments, and a very unfortunate apprentice to receive a migraine.

Now as bad days go, this was only about a 5 on Sakura's scale of "days I should have stayed in bed." Sadly, for the pink haired medic, it was about to get a lot worse.

"Dr. Haruno!"

Sakura looked up from the stack of files her teacher dumped into her hands as revenge for her stolen Sake. Luckily, Shizune had already left for the day, because if Sakura had got her hands on her, there would have been hell to pay. It didn't take a genius to remember if the Hokage suffered…then everybody suffered! Shizune was only supposed to pull stunts like this, when Sakura was off as well. They had a pact, damn it!

"Yes?" Sakura arched an eyebrow, glaring at the idiot that dared interrupt her work. There was a sign on the door warning against such idiocy. Honestly! She put that sign up for their protection, as well as for her sanity.

The nurse, Kaito, gulped nervously at his mentor's cold stare. (Damn, he should have chosen rock!) "Um…Dr. Haruno…well there is this patient…"

"Oh for god sakes Kaito, spit it out! It better be an emergency, if you are disturbing me or there will be consequences." Sakura stood up glaring at the now sweating and trembling male. He was taking up too much of her precious time; as it was, she was already going to be here hours after her shift ended.

"It's Neji Hyuuga. He is refusing treatment and requesting to be released. His condition is stable but I am afraid he will over exert himself, and undo all the effort put in to save him. I thought since you initially were the one to heal him, you might be able to advise him of the risks." Poor Kaito sped through his response, praying Dr. Haruno would not kill the messenger, especially since a tick seemed to be developing above her right eye.

"WHAT!" How dare he! I did not spend 5 hours shoving his intestines back in his body…"

The rest of response was drowned out as the door to her office slammed shut, leaving Kaito pale and shaking alone in her office. Still feeling the slight tremors beneath his feet due to the medic-nin's rage, he wondered if it was too late to change his career path.

* * *

Room 208

Neji looked around at the colorless expansion of his hospital room in disdain. It was bare and white and clinical. The placed smelled of disinfectant and stale air, while a taunting ray of sunlight flicked in from his window. (Not that Neji was allowed to be at the window, according to some idiot nurse barging in on his escape attempt.)

Despite popular belief, Neji was not such an emotionless drone to tolerate this completely unwarranted imprisonment of his person amidst these cold walls. He was healthy enough to be released in to his own custody, where he would be able to rest and regain his strength leisurely in the comfort of his own home. He resented the nurse…Ka-something, for implying otherwise. (Neji easily ignored the fact that he could barely stand on his own, let alone defend himself from being lead back to his hospital bed.)

The door of his room suddenly slammed open, causing Neji to stiffen and activate his Byakugan.

"Neji Hyuuga! You better turn off your chakra in the next two second, before I do it myself." Sakura stood in the doorway, huffing and puffing in a very disconcerting manner.

Neji did as she asked (not because she ordered it; she simply wasn't a threat to his condition).

"I am glad you are here, Haruno. I have some complaints to file against your staff."

"Oh?" Sakura closed the door behind her and stepped into the room with a tight smile on her face. "And, what complaints might those be, Hyuuga? Because I have heard some mumblings, and I am sure I can clear up any misunderstandings."

Neji wasn't completely sure why, but for some reason, he felt the woman in front of him was on the verge of being very dangerous. The slight itch to activate his Byakugan emerged, but he dismissed it as shinobi paranoia. After all, Haruno was a doctor. It would go against her code to harm a patient.

"I must begin by informing you that your staff is woefully under qualified. The medic in here earlier was nervous and shaking. He kept informing me I needed to be in bed and that I could not leave the hospital. As you can see, Haruno, I am perfectly fit and quite ready to be released. Now if you could please sign my forms, I will be on my way and for your sake; I will pretend this incident with your incompetent staff never happened."

Neji was quite pleased with himself. His complaint was logical and politely presented. Haruno would have no choice but to grant him his wish. The tiniest on smirks appeared on his handsome face, which, in turn, only managed to piss Sakura off more.

"Ok, Hyuuga, since you are under the mistaken impression that you are more knowledgeable than a fully trained medic-nin; why don't you prove to me that you are fully healed. Walk around the room, and I will release you from the hospital with a note of apology and a fruit basket." Sakura could barely hold the back the smirk from her lips. It would be completely unprofessional to take pleasure in the suffering of her patient; but then again, it was the Hyuuga, and this was the only way he would learn. Though maybe she should at least wait till he failed before mocking his arrogance.

Neji narrowed his eyes at the pink haired kunoichi. She sounded far too smug and her twitching lips were vainly making an effort to not smirk. He had no choice but to dame such childish behavior with a dignified, "No."

It was Sakura's turn to narrow her eyes as she tightly inquired, "Pardon? Did you just say, no?

"Yes, I did," informed Neji. "Maybe you should have your hearing checked, Dr. Haruno.

"Pray tell," began Sakura (who was counting to 10 in a failing attempt to control her temper), "why will you not walk around the room? It should be a simple task for one that is completely healed, such as yourself. Do you find such an easy act demeaning?"

Neji's fingers tighten around the thin sheets covering his body. "I have no need to prove to you, which I know that I am capable of. You are simply wasting my time and yours by continuing this pointless conversation. Process my release forms, so that we may both be on our way."

Poor Sakura's 5-scale headache jumped to an 8.7 and her once controlled temperament snapped.

"EXCUSE ME, Hyuuga! I am the damn highest medic-nin on staff right now, and I can guarantee you that both Shizune and Tsunade would agree with the medical opinion I am about to give right now." Sakura marched over to her now scowling patient and began repeatedly poking him in the shoulder to emphasis her point, (plus he was just really, really pissing her off).

"You are not fit to leave this hospital for at least another three days, maybe a week because of how you are pushing yourself," continued Sakura angrily. "Despite your stubborn, arrogant admission that you are fine, the real reason for you not getting up to walk around this room is because you can't! You want to know why that is, Hyuuga? Huh, do you know?"

By now, Neji had enough of the petite pink haired shrew attempting to quell him into submission. So, in an extremely mature effort on his part, (after all, killing the Godaime's apprentice would be considered by form), he turned his eyes away from her and grumbled under his breath.

Sakura in the middle of her tirade, glared harder at the seasoned jounin that was blatantly ignoring her. In an impulsive and completely below the belt act, she grabbed a fist full of his hair, and made him face her again.

Neji is too shocked to respond, but then again, Sakura doesn't give him a chance.

"The reason for your incredible weakness, Hyuuga, was the massive stomach wound you received. You were not conscience at the time but let me give you the finer points; basically you had a huge hole in you midsection, and your organs were spilling out! Is that enough of a horror story? Has it gotten through your thick head that you were in critical condition and that time is needed for you to recover?'

Sakura's words did seep through, but now Neji is too affronted with her assault on his person to really take the warning to heart.

"Haruno, if you do not let go of me this instance, I can be blamed for what I will have to do." Neji's voice is just as icy as his glare and despite knowing he is no match for her in this condition, Sakura finds herself a little wary. She removes her hand slowly, because she refuses to let him think he has won.

"Fine, since you seem to be holding on to this idiotic stubbornness, I will give you an ultimatum," says Sakura backing away toward the door. "You can play by my rules and remain here for the remainder of the week, or you can leave and I will have Tsunade take you off active roster for 3 months."

Sakura has hand on the doorknob, when she hears a sharp intake of breath. She glances at the bedridden Hyuuga, with a triumphant look in her vibrant green eyes. "Don't worry about giving me an answer. I am sure you will make the right choice." With those parting words, the door shuts with a snap, leaving Neji alone once again in the quiet white room.

He is equal parts horrified and angry, but unfortunately; he knows she is not bluffing. The hospital is her domain, and her teacher will most likely back up the outrageous claims her student has made.

_Well, Haruno, I will concede this round has gone to you, but I will make sure to pay you back tenfold for the dishonor you have bestowed upon me today. _

Content with his thoughts, Neji slides further down in bed with the intention of taking a nap, because he is feeling quite tired after all the chaos and Haruno's screeching.

* * *

It is times like this that Sakura knows she truly does take after her mentor. Because after dealing with that pain in the ass Hyuuga, she needs to drink (an extremely large amount) or her head will explode. Screw the mountains of paperwork currently about to topple over in her office. Sakura planned to dump them on Shizune first thing tomorrow morning as payback for all that happened today; because really, if she hadn't taken that sake bottle, none of this would have happened!


End file.
